DAMON SALESA

HILARY CHUNGThe Director of Global Studies gives thanks for all the support she’s had in 2019 and looks forward to a summer of paddle-boarding.

Navigating a new direction for the South Auckland campus

ANDREW EBERHARDThe winner of the PM’s Supreme Award for Tertiary Excellence says his heart rate still goes through the roof before a lecture.

MARIA ARMOUDIANThe Big Q website founder says the University’s researchers play a big part in stimulating the public thirst for knowledge.

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DECEMBER 2019auckland.ac.nz/UniNews

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SNAPSHOTSTHIS ISSUE

MAPAS CELEBRATIONOn 14 November a special event was live broadcast to friends and family overseas for the Māori and Pacific Admission Scheme (MAPAS) graduates/graduands. It was held at the Rec Centre and featured students completing Bachelors of Health Sciences (26), Nursing (12), Pharmacy (2), Optometry (2) and Medicine and Surgery (41). The Completion Ceremony is a special celebration to acknowledge MAPAS students and celebrate their successes with their very proud whānau and loved ones. The ceremony was recorded and can be viewed at tinyurl.com/MAPAS2019

VELOCITY CHALLENGE COMPLETE The next generation of star innovators and entrepreneurs has been identified in the finals of the 2019 Velocity $100k Challenge. Winners included a space technology venture solving power-supply issues, a poi-based health and wellbeing venture, a glaucoma-detection tool and a social venture to aid the Pacific’s medical equipment donation systems. The overall winner was Greenshell Spat, an aquaculture technology venture to revolutionise the mussel industry, which took away $25,000 in seed capital and a place in the VentureLab incubator. Read more at cie.auckland.ac.nz/newsroom/2019challenge/

CHEERS FOR THE MEMORIES Many a fond memory, and occasional hazy ones, have been created at Shadows, which has been part of the University’s City Campus since 1983. On 7 November, alumni celebrated with friends one more time at ‘The Shadz’ before it closed at its current venue for good, on 17 November. Students had their last hurrah on 16 November. The building that’s home to Shadows is being partially demolished as part of the new Recreation Centre development. Shadows will open in a new site on campus in time for Orientation 2020.

KUPE SCHOLARS GIVE THANKSOn 29 October a dinner was held to mark the completion of the inaugural Kupe Leadership Scholarship Programme. Kupe Leadership Scholarships were awarded to 14 exceptional post-graduate students following a competitive selection process in late 2018. Through the year, they took part in a leadership development programme and worked with mentors, selected for their expertise in the scholar’s field of interest. The event was a great opportunity to show appreciation and give thanks to the donors who made the programme possible.

OUTSTANDING! The University’s Campaign For All Our Futures

ended on 31 October and a gala dinner was

held on 21 November to thank major donors.

This photo, of staff from Alumni Relations and

Development, expresses their elation at the final

fundraising result. See page 8 for the full story.

EDITOR: Denise Montgomery

denise.montgomery@auckland.ac.nz

PHOTOGRAPHY: Elise Manahan

DESIGN: Stephen Wang

PRODUCTION: The University of Auckland

Volume 49/Issue 10/December 2019

PUBLISHED BY: The University of Auckland

Communications Office

Alfred Nathan House, 24 Princes Street

Private Bag 92019, Auckland 1142

auckland.ac.nz/UniNews

Damon Salesa 3

What’s New 4, 5

Maria Armoudian 6

Campaign & Research 8

My Story: Andrew Eberhard 9

Art & Culture 10, 11

Classifieds 11

Māramatanga 12

Kupe scholar Tristan Pang.

Brad Skelton, left, and Will McKay of the

Greenshell Spat Company.

Old mates Sean Barry, Matt Cox, Paul Savage

and Peter Thorburn sup their last Shadows pint.

FEATURE

COMMUNITY-LED CAMPUSDamon Salesa says the new South Auckland campus is designed for the 21st century.

Pro Vice-Chancellor (Pacific) Damon Salesa:

exciting year ahead with a new campus.

The South Auckland campus opening for Semester One 2020 has the community and students at front and centre of mind in its planning.

The campus, at 6 Osterley Way in central Manukau, offers the Bachelor of Education programme and Tertiary Foundation Certificate. Associate Professor Damon Salesa, Pro Vice-Chancellor Pacific, says although the University has had a close relationship with Manukau Institute of Technology (MIT) in South Auckland, the new standalone campus will offer many things the previous campus didn’t.

“We’ve done well out there in the sense we’ve trained a whole lot of teachers who have gone on to teach in South Auckland,” he says. “So now we’ve expanded the facility, so it can run other programmes and courses there.

“There’s a wonderful student commons which has all the amenities of a study space on campus. We’ll also have laptop lockers so students can borrow laptops as they would library books.”

There will also be access to a kitchen and student-centred spaces. Damon says the exciting thing about the new campus is the engagement already going on with the community about the opportunities for learning there.

“School students will come onto campus through special programmes. For example, my office runs a programme called the Pacific Academy for Year 12 and 13 students, an academic programme to boost achievement. For those students to come all the way into the city is quite a challenge – it’s expensive and quite disruptive.

“It will be so much easier to hold the programme in Manukau. We’ve already seen some conferences at the juncture of community research happening in South Auckland. You open the space to a different audience when you’re there. It is their space.”

Damon says work is well under way to deepen the engagements the University has with schools and the community.

“This facility is much more community and student-focused. We’re looking out, not just in.”

He says cutting travel costs for students eliminates one of the obstacles to study.

“We recognise that it can be expensive to come to town. There’ll be staff out there who support the academic wellbeing of students as well as models of pastoral care that mean they won’t have to come in for everything.”

Not everything he talks about will happen right from Semester One, but the opportunities being explored reflect a 21st-century campus.

“I don’t think we have to be as focused on physical location as we once were. For example, across the University, we record all stage one lectures. If you study at the South Auckland campus and can’t make it, and don’t have connectivity and a computer, you will you be able to get a laptop and get connected, and watch the lecture.

“But the real measure will be the student engagement with the facility, the community engagement and the difference it makes.”

He says in the old days they might have built a library on a new campus but with people accessing information and knowledge electronically, the focus now is on having a quiet study space. There will permanent staff attached to the student commons and all students have access to study-support services.

Programmes available at the campus in 2020 include the Bachelor of Education (Teaching) Primary, the Tertiary Foundation Certificate – Education and Social Work Pathway, and New Start, a 12-week course for those over 20 without formal qualifications. The campus opens 8am to 8pm weekdays, and midday to 6pm on the weekends.

“What the students should really see is the very real commitment the University has to supporting their learning. It’s an innovative and entrepreneurial response to that need, driven by a commitment to connecting deeply with South Auckland, especially Pacific and Māori communities.”

Damon Salesa has an idea he wants to float. Well, at least hang from the rafters.

A few months ago he was gifted a Niuean vaka (outrigger canoe) and he’d like to see it hanging in the South Auckland campus, in a similar way to the waka hanging in the Fale.

“The vaka was offered to me by Dante Botica, one of our material culture specialists. It was given to him and he was looking for a home for it. It had come from Niue decades ago.

“It has been fibreglassed and it’s a living object, not a museum object.

SPECIAL GIFT OF A VAKA“I want to find more about it as we don’t

really know much. The problem is the cost of getting the vaka stabilised enough to move it to South Auckland. It can’t be relocated in its current condition. It’s too fragile and has borer.”

At this point he’s not sure how old the boat is, but does know its significance in Niue.

“It’s a powerful symbol of the journey and a connection to the ocean. You’re not far from the ocean in Manukau, so it would be good if one day we can display it out there at the new campus.”

Dante Botica with the vaka he gifted

Damon Salesa. Photos: Elise Manahan

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WHAT’S NEW

HILARY’S CYCLE OF LIFE

OBAMA LEADER

Since Dr Hilary Chung first talked to UniNews in March, a lot has happened.

First, and most importantly, she’s still alive after raising enough money for treatment with the life-lengthening drug Ibrance. Second, progress has been made, following much lobbying, with the establishment of the National Cancer Programme and additional funding of a range of cancer drugs.

“I’m glad I was able to able to play a small role in the campaign,” says Hilary, whose own experience of Ibrance, which is still under consideration for funding, has been significant.

“I am pretty well. My latest three-monthly scans show the metastatic disease in the bones is still stable,” she says. “The wonderful thing about Ibrance is that it does not have the debilitating side effects of other treatments, so I do feel well.

“I get more tired than I used to, but I’m happy to be working and staying active. I have now used all the money raised to pay for 11 months of Ibrance, at $6,000 a month, which is required before being able to receive the drug without further charge.

She is now on her 12th cycle of treatment. “It felt strangely liberating to collect my most

recent prescription without having to pay a small fortune for it. I can now keep being treated with Ibrance while it continues to benefit me. So far, so good!”

Hilary was deeply moved by the Give-a-Little campaign that raised the money she needed.

“I am so grateful to friends, colleagues, students and the many other donors who have enabled me to continue to enjoy comparatively good health,” she says. “UniNews has played its part – many people responded to the piece in the March issue and I was so touched to receive

Auckland alumna Lanu Faletau will mix and mingle with the Obamas this month.

The Tonga-born New Zealand lawyer has three degrees from the University, a BA (Sociology/ Pacific Studies), LLB and in 2018 an LLM, specialising in International Law.

Lanu (pictured below) has been chosen as an Obama Leader for the Asia-Pacific Region and will head to Malaysia for the Obama Foundation’s Asia-Pacific Leaders programme from December 10-14. The programme has a focus on shared values and ethical leadership. Around 200 leaders from 33 nations and territories will take part.

Lanu will take part in leadership workshops, run by prominent speakers and thought leaders including Barack and Michelle Obama. They will discuss topics such as progress and opportunity in the Asia-Pacific region and values-based leadership. Lanu’s growth as a leader will continue remotely for a year through webinars and a virtual speaker series, as well as support from the Foundation.

She is passionate about promoting higher education for Pacific people. The 27-year-old is also a proud activist for body positivity who encourages sustainable and healthier lifestyles through plant-based foods. “I’m a proud alumna and hope my selection will inspire students, in particular the Pacific community at the University of Auckland,” she says. “I owe a lot of my beginnings and success to the UoA.”

a generous donation from Mr George E Smith, an alumnus living in the United States who graduated in Physics in 1957 and read the story. I have no words to express my heartfelt thanks.”

Hilary says she’s waiting to see how the new cancer agency evolves.

“I continue to support the charities that look after people with metastatic breast cancer: the Breast Cancer Foundation, Sweet Louise and the Cancer Society. I’m happy to be interviewed to maintain awareness and to help provide support for others.”

Hilary, who is Director of the Global Studies programme, says it is growing in popularity.

“We have made two new academic hires who will be on board from the beginning of 2020 and applications are up 25 percent on last year. We will also see our first graduate walk across the stage at the next Autumn graduation ceremony.”

She says Global Studies students have been winning scholarships to study all over the world as part of their degree and that the degree will take them on a multitude of different career paths.

“The jobs landscape in the 21st century is changing amazingly fast – today’s graduates can expect to have eight careers or more. What a Global Studies degree offers is a broad skill set, language skills, international experience and global perspectives on pressing issues. It enables our graduates to be nimble on their feet and to take advantage of new opportunities as well as being engaged global citizens.”

This Christmas Hilary will take a well-earned break from all this to spend some quiet time at home with family. “And there’ll be more time for me on the bike and the paddleboard – I’m hoping for good weather and that it’s not too windy!”

The Faculty of Law is holding a special event on 5 December to award a posthumous LLM – 54 years later.

Glen Ian Silvester, 27, was killed in a climbing accident on Mount Taranaki on 3 May 1965, a few days before graduation so never received his

DELAYED DEGREE degree award. The event will be attended by family members including his son and granddaughter, the latter who is a law student at Victoria. Glen completed his LLB in 1961 and was admitted as a solicitor of the Supreme Court the same year, and barrister in 1962. He won a Hugh Campbell Scholarship to do his LLM, completed in 1964. He was also a part-time tutor at the University.

WHAT’S NEW

Renowned space expert Professor Guglielmo Aglietti has been awarded the scientific equivalent of an Oscar.

Guglielmo joined the Faculty of Engineering in October as the inaugural director of Te Pūnaha Ātea, the Auckland Space Institute. He brings 25 years’ experience in academia and industry in the space sector, including leading the prestigious Surrey Space Centre in the UK.

The Centre made headlines in 2018 for an experiment called RemoveDebris, designed to demonstrate technologies that could gather up space waste. It’s that work that saw Guglielmo and his team win a Sir Arthur Clarke Award in the Space Achievement: Industry/Project Team category. The awards are given out annually in recognition of notable contributions to space exploration and was presented to him via Skype on 14 November at the British Interplanetary Society Gala dinner after the Re-inventing Space conference in Belfast.

“This is a great honour, as we consider these awards like the ‘Oscars’ of the UK space sector. I am delighted for the whole team that worked tirelessly on this project,” says Guglielmo.

He says cleaning up space debris – which can range from the size of a fingernail to that of a bus – is becoming increasingly important.

“We rely so much on space technologies, from the SatNav in our cars to satellite television, but we now must tackle sustainability in space to avoid space debris collisions, which could destroy operational satellites,” he says. “We’re putting more and more satellites into orbit, but the old ones are still up there. While their owners are supposed to bring them down, that requirement

is very difficult to achieve and enforce.”So how do you catch space junk? The same

way you might catch a fish – with a harpoon and a net. Surrey’s RemoveDebris proposal is the first to demonstrate in-orbit practical solutions to cleaning up space debris. A small satellite is launched, a net is deployed and both the satellite and debris are burnt up in the upper atmosphere.

Guglielmo came to New Zealand because of the progress being made here in space research and activities. “In the past few years, New Zealand has attracted a lot of attention in the space sector, particularly with its capability to launch satellites at an affordable cost and in a short time scale. This is an extraordinary asset and advantage,” he says.

“The University is well-known as an institute with a growing range of space-relevant research activities … and it has significant potential. New Zealand is extremely well placed to develop a thriving space sector.”

Guglielmo’s appointment has been supported by the Tertiary Education Commission as part of the Entrepreneurial Universities Initiative. His is a role developed to lead, energise and protect New Zealand’s emerging space industry.

“I see my role as trying to bring these elements together and make a real contribution to unlocking the country’s potential,” he says.

In November a Deloitte report commissioned by the Government revealed New Zealand’s “space economy” is now contributing $1.69 billion to the economy. The report also showed that New Zealand’s space industry directly contributed $897 million to our economy in 2018-19 and employs around 12,000 people.

SPACE ‘OSCAR’

OFF TO OXFORDFaculty of Arts student KDee-Aimiti Ma’ia’i is the first Pacific woman to be awarded a Rhodes Scholarship to Oxford.

KDee (pictured below) is only the fourth person of Pacific descent to receive the prestigious honour and says she’s very aware of standing on the shoulders of others.

“It wouldn’t be possible without all the Pacific women who have broken down barriers, dismantled stereotypes and paved the way for other Pacific women like me … They deserve far more recognition and applause than they receive. This is for them too.”

She is completing a BA Hons in Pacific Studies, with courses in Development Studies. Her Honours dissertation supervisor is the University’s Pro Vice-Chancellor (Pacific), Associate Professor Damon Salesa, who was the first person of Pacific Island descent to become a Rhodes Scholar to Oxford. “KDee is a remarkable young scholar, who has shown a deep commitment not only to her studies but to her fellow students and her communities,” he says. “She thoroughly deserves this opportunity, which will see one of our most talented emerging young Pacific leaders placed where she can continue to grow.”

At Oxford in 2020, KDee plans to undertake a three-year DPhil (Oxford equivalent of a PhD) in International Development, focusing on the Pacific region. Read the full story at: tinyurl.com/KDeeRhodes

Professor Guglielmo Aglietti.

Photo: Elise Manahan

An innovative joint programme between Te Puna Wānanga (School of Māori and Indigenous Education) and Kainga Pasifika is being offered at the University for the first time in 2020.

“He Waka Eke Noa: Advanced Research in Māori and Pasifika Thinking and Practice” is the theme for the 2020 Doctor of Education (EdD)

The Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences had its three graduation ceremonies last month, with 883 students graduating in medicine, nursing, optometry, health science and pharmacy. That included 90-year-old Ron Trubuhovich, a pioneer in critical care medicine, and siblings Eurera (medicine) and Tumanako Bidois (nursing). The early ceremonies allow graduates to enter the health workforce immediately rather than wait until May.

JOINT FOCUS HEALTH GRADSat the Faculty of Education and Social Work. The EdD is an opportunity for Māori, Pacific and other researchers to delve into important cultural, social and political issues using Indigenous-led approaches. “This is a call for relations across Te Moananui-a-Kiwa to learn together,” says Associate Professor Melinda Webber, from Te Puna Wānanga. “It’s aimed at students who want to centre Māori, Pasifika and other Indigenous ways of knowing, being and doing.”

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Politics senior lecturer Dr Maria Armoudian is sitting in an office surrounded by books poked into every available shelf space and on every flat surface. Although clearly not a Marie Kondo aficionado, she’s quick to point out that her home doesn’t look like this.

“It’s just that my office isn’t big enough for my book collection!” she insists.

Maria has clearly accrued a lot to read in the five years she’s been in New Zealand. She arrived from Los Angeles in July 2014 where she had lived for 27 years. Her career trajectory is varied, first music (she’s a singer/songwriter), then political journalist, then politics working in the California legislature for eight years, then another eight years for the city of Los Angeles as a commissioner. That’s when she decided to go back and study the whole system to “try to come up with some sort of answers to the problems that I saw in democracy”.

Once she had finished her PhD she saw the job advertised at Auckland. But she admits moving as a middle-aged person was difficult.

“The hardest part about moving to another

country is that you have a community and dear, deep friendships in your home country, as well as family. You come to a place that’s really far away and you can’t go to your friends’ memorials. So you’re dealing with issues of your friends dying or your family dying yet you don’t have deep friendships here. That’s been the hardest part. I feel like I’ve started to develop those connections now, but it’s taken every bit of five years.”

Before her father died, both parents had visited her in New Zealand. Maria is trying to encourage her mother to visit for her 80th birthday, especially as Maria has bought a home here.

While she was doing her PhD, she had looked at the media’s role in different scenarios, from war, genocide and peacemaking to democratisation and policy issues.

“This included how the debate was framed around climate change. At the time, the media made it seem like we didn’t have a crisis and therefore they didn’t have to act yet.

“That’s an example of how the media has affected humanity.”

She says the media today is even more chaotic than it was then.

“People are all over the internet and social media creating disinformation. I’d looked at different models of media, thinking about it as a sort of DNA for society, telling us how to function within, and as, a system. People need to understand their roles, issues and science to function, especially in a democratic system.

“I looked at the traditional media and social media and the different ways in which messages were being relayed. Traditional media tends to

be constrained by its need to make a profit. So we have these ‘news norms’ of making things sound dramatic and simplifying issues so people can understand them, or focusing on conflict even where it may not be.

“This primes people to have a lack of in-depth understanding of a broader or historical context and the civic nature of democracy … it has primed our emotions to seek out the dramatic.”

For some years, Maria has been thinking about alternative models of media.

“I looked at government models, non-profit models and co-op models, including some that didn’t need to make a profit, but they did need to pay staff salaries. I thought a university-based media model was a good idea. We’re supposed to be the purveyors of knowledge, ascertaining the truth and discussing issues in a way that illuminates ideas.”

The former journalist had already done something similar with her radio show in Los Angeles, The Scholars’ Circle.

“I thought, what if this University created its own media? What would that look like? The idea is you can bring people of different disciplines together to talk about a pressing issue. Not only do people learn more about the issue, but they also learn how to talk to each other.

“We’re seeking a truth, to solve a problem, to devise a solution – and that was also the purpose of The Scholars’ Circle. When I got to Auckland, I told the Dean of Arts, Professor Robert Greenberg, I’d like to try it here.”

The Big Q: The Project for Public Interest Media (thebigq.org) was born in 2016 after receiving funding from the Vice-Chancellor’s Strategic Development Fund. Maria encouraged

Dr Maria Armoudian says as purveyors of knowledge, the University community

can contribute to a media model that discusses issues and informs.

The Big Q website runs as a model of media that seeks truth. Dr Maria Armoudian talks about how it came to be and who it serves.

DEFENDING DEMOCRACY

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FEATURE

“The media primes people to have a lack of in-depth understanding of the civic nature of democracy … it has primed our emotions to seek out the dramatic.”

– Dr Maria Armoudian, senior lecturer Politics and

International Relations and founder of The Big Q

colleagues to work with her on the project, alongside two experts in the Faculty of Arts Technical Services – Tim Page, a digital media specialist, and Mike Hurst, a learning technology specialist. The site contains articles, podcasts and videos featuring academics from a number of universities discussing such issues as ocean pollution and climate change. The aim is to provide an alternative to soundbite-based journalism by creating scholarly but accessible material on a wide range of topics.

“The Big Q is a place where people can learn what we’re doing as scholars and deepen and broaden their knowledge. It’s a bridge between scholarship and the public, written in a way people can understand, not jargon, speaking to the issues of the day, but giving them context.”

The website content is curated by a managing editor, a journalist with a public interest ethic who understands the mission.

“What I really want to do now is get more people involved and interested, to integrate it more into the University. If there are issues or topics that we know an expert wants to write on, then The Big Q is the place.

“We are also an outlet for our grad students to publish their research and findings in a reader-friendly way.”

She says the website The Conversation is probably the closest model to The Big Q, although much bigger. The Conversation website says it has around 80,000 registered academics globally and says after publishing on The Conversation, 66 percent of authors are contacted by media for follow-up interviews.

“The Conversation is a non-profit model supported wholly by universities, but they have more journalists working there. What we’re doing is a bit broader stroke ... we will run everything from a short piece to a 5,000-worder, as well as book excerpts, audio and video.”

Maria can see the benefit in raising public awareness of the impact of the University of Auckland’s research.

“The shorter pieces we run can lead people to want to dig more into the long pieces. What we want to do is stimulate people’s thirst for learning more so we can build more informed societies,” she says. “You can’t have a

democracy function if people don’t understand scientific, environmental and political issues. If they don’t have fundamental knowledge, then how do we expect them to vote or to participate in a meaningful way?”

As well as articles from across many disciplines, The Big Q has featured around 100 roundtable interviews and run a number of live symposia such as The Politics of Climate and Disasters, in collaboration with the School of Law and the School of Social Sciences. These are recorded and made available on the website, and quite a few have been broadcast by RNZ. It has featured the work of around 100 academic staff and students and also collaborated with Newsroom and bFM to share content. The Big Q has also been a great first step for student interns who can work there for a semester.

But Maria would love to see more academics publish there.

“Maybe there’s still not a great enough awareness of The Big Q,” she says. “I’d like to have people who are actively involved in research and writing to think this is a good place to publish their findings. These people could, for example, be communicating about complicated, complex marine ecosystems in a way people understand, either through an article or even a video narrative.

“As well as an outlet to communicate scholarly research, we are studying and learning how to better communicate complex issues around science, politics and medicine in ways that help people engage. We want to learn more about the best ways to work with other schools in the University to communicate their research and findings.”

She has plenty of experts to develop The Big Q further. “It was Tim, Mike and I who originated this and they are so good at what they do. Then Associate Professor Luke Goode (Media and Communications) got involved and later renowned documentary maker Professor Annie Goldson (Media and Communications), Professor Simon Thrush (Head of the Institute of Marine Science),

Dr Manuel Vallee (senior lecturer, Sociology) and Dr Niki Harré (Psychology). We’re talking about how to improve awareness of the opportunities The Big Q offers.”

Maria, the author of two previous books, has a third sitting with the publisher after three years of research. It’s called Lawyers Beyond Borders and is about international human rights litigation. Her Armenian heritage has informed some of her research and certainly her interest in human rights.

“It’s made me sensitive to people who have faced genocide, colonisation and other egregious human rights abuses such as mass killings and torture,” she says.

“It has also made me aware of the propaganda used to demonise, blame and foment hate towards groups of people, so I’ve been motivated to dispel misinformation that’s been historically used as a weapon to gain power, land, wealth or cultural domination.”

Some of those themes have also made it into her songwriting. In 2005 she released an EP called Life in the New World with lyrics such as: “There is no water left for us, she said, please understand; They poured their seven poisons in the rivers; on the land, 40,000 acres of our farms now desert sand; To feed one hungry company, to fill the hollow man.”

Says Maria: “I originally went to university on a music scholarship and played in a variety of bands and ensembles – rock, world music and classical.”

She’s been wanting to become involved in music again in New Zealand. How she will find the time is another big question.

■ Denise Montgomery

HIGHLY CITEDFive University scientists have been recognised in the Web of Science Group’s 2019 list of the most Highly Cited Researchers in the world.

The researchers from the University are: Professors Alexei Drummond (Biological Sciences), Brent Copp (Chemical Sciences) and Debbie Hay (Biological Sciences), Associate Professor Geoffrey Waterhouse (Chemical Sciences) and Adjunct Professor Edward Gane (Medical and Health Sciences).

The highly anticipated list identifies scientists and social scientists who produced multiple papers ranking in the top 1 percent by citations for their field and year of publication, demonstrating significant research influence among their peers. Read the full story at tinyurl.com/UoAHighlyCited.

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$380M FOR ALL OUR FUTURES

The announcement of the total figure raised from the Campaign For All Our Futures was met with applause at a gala dinner on 21 November.

Around 600 major donors and senior staff gathered at the event to hear how successful the campaign had been in its quest to raise $300 million, since the public fundraising campaign was officially launched in 2016. They heard that when the campaign closed on 31 October it had raised the massive total of $380,271,165, the greatest amount ever raised by philanthropy in New Zealand history.

In all, there were 23,592 separate donations gifted by more than 7,000 donors, most for a nominated purpose. Many of the major gifts were for medical research while other contributions supported donor-funded student scholarships.

Also announced was the largest single donation ever made to the University. Before his death in 2012, Hugh Green had come to greatly admire the work of Distinguished Professor Sir Richard Faull and his team at the Centre for Brain Research (CBR). The Hugh Green Foundation’s first donation helped Professor Mike Dragunow

establish the Hugh Green Biobank in 2011, one of a handful of institutions worldwide that’s able to grow human brain cells. The Biobank uses its cell-culture methods to develop new drugs to treat brain disorders, such as Huntington’s disease. The Hugh Green Foundation signed a gift agreement for $16.5m to fund the Hugh Green Biobank in perpetuity, and for a new Chair in Translational Neuroscience. The donation will allow the CBR to develop a brain-drug discovery facility to develop effective medications for brain disorders.

Chancellor Scott St John said the money raised was a crucial part of the University being able to continue to contribute locally and internationally.

“The world faces immense challenges. We are in the middle of a technological revolution, climate change, and an expanding and ageing population. Health and wellness issues are affecting the way and the length of time we live, while the needs of people must be balanced with the impact on the environment and the planet.

“By generating new knowledge and providing the highest levels of formal education, research-led universities have a unique role to play in helping meet these challenges and creating a

MARSDEN FUNDS TOP RESEARCHChallenges New Zealand faces in health, environment, culture, science and engineering will be addressed by University of Auckland researchers thanks to nearly $22 million awarded from the Marsden fund.

From exploring why a gene variant specific to Māori and Pacific people increases blood pressure, and rethinking responsibility for youth mental health in the digital age, to understanding how colour-blind octopuses are so exceptional at camouflage, are just a handful of the University’s research projects to receive nearly $1 million each from the 2019 Marsden Fund round.

In total, the projects of 35 University researchers and research groups have been awarded $21.7 million.

Established researchers were awarded

21 grants ($17.5m), and 14 projects ($4.2m) received Te Pūtea Rangahau a Marsden Fast-Start grants which support early-career researchers to develop independent research and build excellent careers in New Zealand.

Areas covered by Fast-Start applicants include investigating how dynamic coastal dune systems are shaped by wave-driven overwash, and unpicking coercive disarmament, the practice of forcing states and armed groups to give up their weapons.

University of Auckland Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research), Professor Jim Metson, says it’s pleasing to see the success of the University in this round, and the ongoing value given to this institution’s research.

“Congratulations are due to the Primary Investigators and their teams for the effort that goes in to applying for a Marsden grant in a very competitive environment.

“We were very pleased with these successes,

not just for what it means today in terms of funding the projects, but for the real impact this research can and does have on the world.”

The grants are distributed over three years and are fully costed, paying for salaries, students and postdoctoral positions, institutional overheads and research consumables. Te Pūtea Rangahau a Marsden is managed by Royal Society Te Apārangi on behalf of the government.

■ Read full story: tinyurl.com/MarsdenFunding

positive future in New Zealand and internationally.”Vice-Chancellor Stuart McCutcheon said

partnerships and philanthropy are essential for providing the resources and capability for the tertiary sector to be able to carry out important research. “The outcome of this campaign is a tribute to the thousands of people who have contributed: our Campaign Board – chaired by alumnus Geoff Ricketts – and the trustees of our foundations; our staff for conducting and supporting extraordinary teaching and research; our alumni for demonstrating the lifelong benefits of a University of Auckland degree; and our many friends and donors for making the work of this extraordinary institution possible.”

Stuart says the donations won’t be going towards the University’s basic running costs. “Every dollar we raised will create a new opportunity for students and staff to achieve something they would not otherwise have been able to do – that’s the great thing about philanthropy.”

■ Read full story at tinyurl.com/CampaignCloses

Members of the Wallace Opera Training Programme sang the ‘Champagne Chorus’ from Die Fledermaus by Johann Strauss. Then Carla Camilleri and Te Ohorere Williams sang ‘The Flower Duet’ from Lakmé by Delibes.

UNINEWS 9

MY STORY

Why did you come here, 20 years ago? I came from a small town called Darling in South Africa, of around 500 people. I got a scholarship to the University of Stellenbosch, but I fractured my neck a week before I was meant to start. I was running around a swimming pool and dived in and hit the bottom. I had to wear a neck brace for quite a long time so I didn’t go to university there. That was in the early 1990s and nobody was sure how the new South Africa would work out, so I came to New Zealand to study. I wanted to be a chartered accountant. I loved it here, but found that I hated accounting.

What makes you an excellent teacher? One of my favourite evaluation comments from students is, “he tells you the truth about your work and that helps”. The feedback from teachers to students is so important. We have to tell them how what they’re doing may fall down, but also tell them where it’s really good.

You do this differently from most, don’t you? Yes, I use video-based feedback so they can hear my voice. I teach data visualisation so I have a big monitor and camera with a high-quality microphone. I bring up the students’ work, talk about what I’m looking at and where I think they could improve and I record that through my screen, pointing to different things. Feedback’s the main part of my teaching – not lectures. I spend at least ten hours a week on feedback during the semester. Do you have a bit of advantage because you know how to use this technology? I think being comfortable experimenting with technology is an advantage and I’m aware that’s a big hurdle for some people. When I started, a lot of the stuff I bought was because it solved a problem for me. Nowadays I try to use tools that everybody can use. You have to make it easy for people to engage with tech. I have a colleague in commercial law who has no tech background at all. But he’s using a tool through which every student gets a feedback email – you put in rules, but it’s a highly simplified drag-and-drop. It pulls data from Canvas, personalises it and integrates with our email system. It’s accessible for everyone and invaluable for students.

How do you improve your practice?The reason I’m successful is because I’ve bounced ideas off really good people. We also have a coffee group and everybody in it is a teaching excellence winner and we talk about teaching ideas. I run with some of my colleagues too, what we call edu-runs, where we just chat. Sharing ideas helps everyone get better. I haven’t been so good at running this year because I crashed my scooter and was injured. It’s amazing how quickly you lose your fitness, but I know if I stick at it I’ll get it back.

What do the students teach you?All sorts of things! Last semester a student just did a short URL for her presentation. She just typed it in and her presentation came up so quickly. No messing about with PowerPoint, slides and a USB drive! Now I do that for all my own presentations.

In your speech at the Awards ceremony, you spoke of imposter syndrome. Really?Yes, for every lecture I give. Especially at the start of the semester, I’m thinking why the hell am I here? What do I know? I wear a smartwatch and I can track my heart rate and two minutes before my first class my heart rate goes up over 100. As soon as I start, I’m fine. I’m like that with almost every talk I give. I’m thinking, what the hell do I know? I’m just someone who’s keen to learn and muck around and try things.

Have you had many failures? Failures are a key to my success. I’m not particularly afraid of failing. I’ve done lots wrong, but I hope I’ve done more that’s gone right. People don’t mind if you’re trying to be innovative. I think if you keep making the same mistakes though, then there are problems. Who do you admire? Those mentioned in my speech were Associate Professor Don Sheridan, Professor David Sundaram and Dr Peter Smith. But the person who got me interested in the visualisation side of data was Swedish physician Hans Rosling, who died in 2017. He has a book out called Factfulness: Ten Reasons We’re Wrong About the World, And Why Things Are Better Than You Think. He did a really good TED talk showing “200 countries, 200 years, Four Minutes” and it’s driven the way I want to be – entertaining and informative. You hear the term edutainment, but I think it’s more about engaging. I want to inspire students to dig deeper.

Is there a mantra you live by?I would say, don’t be so hard on yourself because we’re all learning. Be kind to others

and yourself. Teaching is highly personal and sometimes you get negative feedback from students. Sometimes they’re not kind and that can be hard to deal with. But nobody’s perfect ... I still doubt myself so I have a folder on my desktop called “In Case of Emergency” and it’s just some positive student comments.

The other thing is to think about it from your student’s point of view. Occasionally enrol in a course and see things from their perspective. If the presenter’s late or the slides are wrong, to me that means the teacher’s not taking it seriously, so how can we expect students to take it seriously? We should always be professional. You’ve chosen the professional teaching route rather than the professorial, why?I love being a teaching fellow. Teaching is what really floats my boat. The research side of it, not so much. I read heaps of research and go along to seminars and conferences as I think it is important to be research-informed, but actually doing research is not really what gets me out of bed in the morning. It’s making an impact on students and my colleagues that drives me.

Andrew is a director in the Graduate School of Management and won the 2019 Prime Minister’s Supreme Award for Tertiary Teaching Excellence.

ANDREW EBERHARD

SHINE A LIGHT UniNews welcomes your ideas on staff members to feature in My Story, as well as ideas for features, news and research stories. Email your ideas to the editor: denise.montgomery@auckland.ac.nz

10 UNINEWS

ART & CULTURE

RAINBOWCONNECTIONA team made up of staff and alumni from the University has won a major design award for their interactive art installation that “makes rainbows”.

Rainbow Machine was installed at Silo Park for the first time in January this year. Since then it has been to MOTAT and is now back at Silo Park until February.

It was designed by Sarosh Mulla, lecturer at the School of Architecture, with Elam post-graduate sculptor and designer Shahriar Asdollah-Zadeh, and Patrick Loo, an architect who recently completed a masters in commercialisation and entrepreneurship at the University.

The three studied together at Creative Arts and Industries (CAI) during their undergraduate years: Sarosh and Patrick at the School of Architecture while Shahriar was at Elam.

The team of designers, artists and architects had been approached by Auckland Council and the Waitematā Local Board, which was looking to create opportunities for fun, discovery and the unexpected in the city centre, for children and their families.

“All of us have a history of working on projects

rainbows and the colour spectrum and when we came across Eliasson’s works, we knew we were working with the right medium – light,” says Shahriar.

The Rainbow Machine connects design, art, science, engineering and innovation. Scientists from Callaghan Innovation brought their expertise to the design of the optical module from which rainbow spectra are formed. The module contains eight custom-made lenses to refract light.

“We’re fortunate to have had the chance to collaborate with an impressive group of experts from physicists, fabricators and engineers in order to bring the project to life,” says Patrick.

The machine is a mobile structure that can be programmed as a site-specific installation in different locations.

“The design bridges the gap between contemporary play-space design and interactive experience and provides a simple way for people of all ages and abilities to enjoy one of nature’s most intriguing phenomena,” says Sarosh.

The DINZ judges said of the work: “So unexpected. It did not exist in the world until now. It is its own language and typology. This ray of sunshine injects joy into space. In fact, it creates its own spatial dynamic wherever it goes.”

■ Margo White

that challenge our usual disciplinary boundaries, but Rainbow Machine was the biggest project we’ve worked on together,” says Sarosh.

“Our friendship and collaborative creative process began forming in our university years and has continued into our professional design practices,” says Shahriar.

Rainbow Machine was awarded a Purple Pin from Design Institute New Zealand (DINZ) in the Spatial class. Previous Purple Pin winners in the same category include the Waterview Connection (2018), the space in the National Library where Te Tiriti o Waitangi is displayed (2017) and Auckland’s pink bicycle Te Ara I Whiti Lightpath (2016). Rainbow Machine also won three Gold Pins in three categories within the same class.

All three creatives say they are attracted to unusual projects and exhibitions that demand innovative solutions.

“I enjoy working on installations, artworks and more traditional pieces of architecture because they all present different problems to solve and creative opportunities,” says Sarosh.

Rainbow Machine allows participants to capture the essence of light and its colour spectrum, by turning the cone toward the sun. Its form is redolent of the types of mechanical devices often found in children’s playgrounds, with elements (such as the wheels) positioned and shaped to encourage curiosity and intuitive interaction.

“Rainbow Machine is an immersive experience of natural light through interactive play,” says Shahriar.

The cone position is scaled for a child, but also accessible for adults, and painted a vibrant yellow, picking up on the colour we associate with the sun, as well as happiness and play.

The artist team were inspired by the studio of Olafur Eliasson. His light installation artworks, which span several decades, were a point of research.

“We always wanted to do something with

Colours created by an interactive

art installation that ‘makes rainbows’.

Soaking up the

colour spectrum.

Peering through the

Rainbow Machine.

11UNINEWS

CLASSIFIEDS

ACCOMMODATION AVAILABLE

AFFORDABLE SUMMER ACCOMMODATION: If you have friends, family or academic colleagues visiting Auckland over summer, then the University’s Summer Stays service may be the answer. At the end of the academic year, rooms in the halls of residence become vacant and are available to visitors between late November and mid-February. There are a variety of room styles available, from king singles with shared facilities to ensuite studios and multi-room apartments ideal for families or small groups. For information email: summerstays@auckand.ac.nz or see summerstays.auckland.ac.nz

AVONDALE THREE-BEDROOM TOWNHOUSE: House available now. $700 a week. Two minutes’ walk to Avondale train station, bus stop opposite. Large open-plan kitchen, dining and lounge. Two bathrooms and excellent storage. DVS. Rent includes unlimited high-speed fibre internet and lawn-mowing service. Contact: Dan 021 153 6157.

SERVICES

PRINTING: Course books, conference, presentation and display, pull-up banners, posters and flyers. Newcomb Digital has amalgamated with Soar Printing to offer a wider range of quality printing. Now at 100 New North Road, Eden Terrace. Approved ‘preferred supplier’ to the University of Auckland. Contact Barny Hards: barny@newcomb.co.nz or 027 482 6272.

CITY LEGAL SERVICES: Rainey Collins Wright is a small law firm at L1 Princes Court, 2 Princes Street. We are near the University, with good parking. We can assist with property transactions, trusts, wills, administration of estates, enduring powers of attorney and relationship property matters. Please call senior solicitor Nichola Christie on 600 0256 to discuss your needs or email: nchristie@rainey.co.nz. Website rainey.co.nz.

PRINTING: Auckland University Bindery is your one-stop print shop. We have the latest digital printing technology for leaflets, booklets, cards and invitations produced to a very high standard. We can do it all – print, bind and deliver. Print and collect on the same day. Email: unibindery@auckland.ac.nz or call 278 2456.

HOLIDAY TREASURES UNEARTHED An opulent 32-page brochure from 1928 was the aesthetic highlight among hundreds of historic tourism treasures unearthed recently in Special Collections.

Produced by the Government Publicity Office, New Zealand resembles a personal photo album with atmospheric photographs of key visitor destinations carefully pasted in alongside printed descriptions.

In an era when travelling by ship to New Zealand for a visit might take six to eight weeks, the government put great effort into printing high-quality, visually appealing publicity items to lure affluent overseas tourists. This focus on high production values was indicative of New Zealand’s pioneering role as a leader in tourism promotion, having established the world’s first government-run tourist board in 1901.

With the government underwriting the tourism drive, the period after World War One ushered in a golden age of commercial art and outdoor photography, according to the authors

of Selling the Dream: the Art of Early New Zealand Tourism. It was an unexpected pleasure to discover that many of the treasures depicted in the book were held in the extensive, historic “vertical file” ephemera collection in Special Collections which was processed this year.

Arresting artwork, usually of the scenic wonders, was a striking aspect of the tourism publications in the collection. Several featured the work of graphic artist Leonard C. Mitchell. His illustrations were commonplace in mid-20th century New Zealand, although his name was virtually unknown.

■ Ian Brailsford, Special Collections, Te Tumu

Herenga Libraries and Learning Services

A display of brochures from the vintage inter-war years of local tourism graphic art, including a case devoted to Mitchell’s work, runs from 12 December to 24 January outside Special Collections, Level G, General Library.

Elam School of Fine Arts presents an exhibition of work by graduating students across the disciplines of painting, sculpture, photography,

installation and multimedia. With 76 projects exhibiting, this is a fantastic opportunity for industry and art lovers, anyone considering studying at Elam or for anyone just curious to see the kind of work the students produce.

WHAT Elam Artists Grad Show 2019WHEN 5-8 December, 10am-4pm dailyWHERE Elam Studios, 20 Whitaker Place, Auckland Central and George Fraser Gallery, 25a Princes Street, Auckland Central

ELAM ART SHOW

Joshua Freeth’s Dream Machine (2018).

Kick off your festive season by hearing the University Staff Choir sing Christmas carols, conducted by Michelle Wong. They’ll perform old favourites including “Hark the Herald Angels Sing” and “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer” and there’ll be a return of the spectacular “Carol of the Bells”.

WHAT Christmas Carols in the ClockTowerWHEN Friday 13 December at midday

CAROLS IN THE CLOCKTOWER

Photo of Mount Ngauruhoe in New Zealand, 1928.

(NZ Glass Case, 919.5045 N531)

MĀRAMATANGA

MUSIC CAREERS FOR REAL LIFE

• How do we ensure students have the necessary skills for their future careers without over-prescribing their pathway through a degree?For the delivery of a successful education

model, there are other aspects to be considered, such as student mobility. I strongly believe that not only visiting students benefit individually from studying in a new country, but also the local community is enriched by incoming exchange students or international students participating in projects. This includes academics, as it often means adapting teaching style or content to cater for students who have different learning backgrounds. Successful partnership models that I have seen internationally capitalise on locally relevant content, cultural context and pedagogy.

Furthermore, partnerships with entities that enable students to have “real-life” experiences during their studies are essential. Students should have a chance to immerse themselves in the professional world under the guidance of tutors.

As today’s musical world is increasingly rich and diverse in all its aspects, students at tertiary level need to be equipped with a wide range of musical skills and knowledge. They also need to be culturally, socially and digitally aware, curious and exploratory, forward thinking and aware of the past, collaborators and critical thinkers.

A school that provides an inspiring and nurturing environment for their journey into the profession, with a sense of local relevance and responsibility, and with a conscious awareness of its standing in the international context, is an environment that I am proud to be part of.

■ Associate Professor Martin Rummel,

outgoing Head of the School of Music

The views in this article reflect personal opinion and are not necessarily those of the University.

In the 20th century, in particular, success in the arts was equalled with fame – a nonsensical notion that finally seems to be on its way out.

The music industry is as diverse, exciting and transdisciplinary as never before, with new professional opportunities evolving constantly. Today’s young musicians are curious and passionate about their place in society, their cultural identity and the contributions they can make to the world. Siloed one-dimensional career pathways that dominated the second half of the 20th century do not exist any more, and I feel privileged to be in a position that enables me to contribute to the guidance of young musicians into sustainable and fulfilled lives as artists.

No two careers in music are identical and – maybe except for the traditional orchestral musician – there is no such thing as a “job description” for any performer, composer, educator, producer, artist, music manager or theorist. Having driven a successful curriculum development that moved from a heavily prescribed curriculum to an individually curated student experience, I strongly believe that a music education institution of today should aim to guide its students by asking questions rather than providing them with answers.

This approach seems diametric to the old-fashioned conservatory system based on the master-apprentice model but is essential to equip students to be thriving musicians in the volatile and fast-changing modern music industry. The separation of “those who do” and “those who teach” is equally outdated as the one between those who create and those who recreate.

Since the 1990s, “industry skills” has become a buzz phrase in music education, often resulting in outdated courses on crafting a CV or learning basic income tax or accounting. A more contemporary approach includes wide aspects of music dissemination, outreach and music appreciation, educational skills, digital literacies as well as knowledge in fundraising.

With an increasing diversification of concert formats and the constant change of opportunities for digital music dissemination, comes the need for students to not only be able to choose the best avenues for their own art but also to populate their chosen platform with meaningful combinations of content. This requires hands-on skills as well as a deep understanding of technical, social and artistic contexts. To give an example: I am convinced that in 50 years’ time, complete Beethoven Symphony cycles without a connection to the present, whatever form this connection takes, won’t be performed any more.

Therefore, we must re-evaluate the acknowledgement of historical content and its relevance to now. While you are reading this, people are inventing new instruments, creating new techniques and writing new music. Consequently, music that is not older than five years has to be a standard requirement for all aspects of learning, while in current syllabi “contemporary music” often only equals atonal, dodecaphonic or serial music that is 100 years old.

It seems that 20 years into this new millennium three challenging questions for the curriculum development of a music school are shared across the globe:• How do we redefine the canon to address the

exponential growth of musical styles, genres, techniques and languages?

• How do we move from a teaching model based on recreation to a learning model based on creation?

“There is no such thing as a job description for any performer,

composer, educator, producer, artist, music manager or theorist.”

MĀRAMATANGA